Hair roller

ABSTRACT

A hair roller having a tubular body with a substantially smooth outer surface, a collar disposed around a closed end of the tubular body and spaced radially therefrom by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes, a clip extending longitudinally along the tubular body to contact a flat portion of the outer surface thereof, a spring member having a short leg engaging a head of the clip at the closed end of the body and a long leg extending through a slot in the closed end of the body, and a heating cartridge inserted in the tubular body and clamping the long leg of the spring member at the closed end such that the clip is biased against the flat portion of the outer surface of the tubular body and is pivotable away therefrom.

United States Patent Walter et al. 14 Jan. 7, 1975 HAIR ROLLER Primary ExaminerG. E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or FirmDavid J. Mugford; Richard [75] Inventors. Henry J. Walter, Wilton, Roy

White, Norwalk, both of Conn. Brmk George Menus [73] Assignee: Clairol Incorporated, New York, [57] ABSTRACT N.Y. A hair roller having a tubular body with a substantially [22] Flled: 1973 smooth outer surface, a collar disposed around a 121] A N0 320,023 closed end of the tubular body and spaced radially therefrom by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes, a clip extending longitudinally along the tubu- [52] US. Cl 132/33 R lar body to Contact a flat portion of the Outer surface II It. thereof, a p g member i g a short g g gi g Fleld of Search R, 40, 42, 9 a head of the at the closed end f the and a long leg extending through a slot in the closed end of [56] References C'ted the body, and a heating cartridge inserted in the tubu- UNITE TAT PATENTS lar body and clamping the long leg of the spring mem- 2,076,521 4/1937 List 132/33 R her at the closed end such that the clip is biased 2,654,371 10/1953 Mcllrath 132/33 R against the flat portion of the outer surface of the tu- 3,l73,429 3/1965 Pauldine 132/33 R bular body and i5 pivotable away theref m 3,706,315 l2/1972 Johansen l32/4O 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJA" 1M5 HAIR ROLLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to hair rollers and, more particularly, to hair rollers carrying heating cartridges.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art In the past, hair rollers adapted to be heated in a separate heating unit and then removed therefrom to have hair wound therearound for curling have had tubular bodies with protrusions extending radially therefrom, such protrusions being utilized to reduce contact area with the fingers during handling of the heated hair roller and further to create frictional interference with the dry hair to facilitate winding. Normally, the rollers are heated on an electrically heated unit and removed from the unit after the rollers reach a predetermined temperature. The hair is wound onto the heated rollers and secured thereto with a clip, and the hair is left wound around the heated rollers for a few minutes to set the hair. After setting, the clip is removed, and the hair is unwound from the roller to cool such that after cooling, the coiffure may be styled by brushing or combing. The protrusions on the rollers cause tangling of the hair during unwinding; and, since the heated hair is brittle, the tangling of the hair with the protrusions damages the hair. Additionally, unwinding of the hair in the hot stage causes straightening and increases the diameter of the curl making it less firm or, in other words, taking some of the curl out of the hair.

While heatable hair rollers without protrusions have been proposed, for example, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,895 to McNair, such hair rollers have required assembly with a heat storing unit after the heat storing unit has been heated thereby requiring undesirable manipulation of both the hair roller and the heat storing unit while the heat storing unit is at a very high temperature. Handling of the hot, heat storing unit must be performed carefully, and many of the advantages of heatable hair rollers are lost by requiring such handling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heatable hair roller having a relatively smooth outer surface to avoid tangling of hair wound therearound while facilitating handling of the hair roller when heated.

An additional object of the present invention is to construct a heatable hair roller from which hair wound therearound can be removed after setting by sliding the hair axially off of the hair roller.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a heatable hair roller with thermally insulated ends and a substantially smooth hair winding mandrel such that the hair roller can be handled at the ends during winding of hair on the mandrel and removal of the set hair from themandrel.

Another object of the present invention is to pivotally mount an elongate clip on a tubular hair roller, the clip being biased against a longitudinal flat portion of the outer surface of the hair roller to facilitate commencement of winding of hair therearound.

The present invention has a further object in that a heatable hair roller is provided with a collar at a closed end thereof, the collar being radially spaced from the closed end by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes to ventilate and cool the collar to facilitate handling of the hair roller when heated.

The present invention is generally characterized in a heatable hair roller including a tubular body having a substantially smooth outer surface and adapted to receive a heating cartridge therein, a collar disposed around one end of the tubular body and extending radially therefrom, a clip extending longitudinally along the tubular body to contact a portion of the outer surface thereof, and support means pivotally mounting the clip on the tubular body at the collar and biasing the clip against the portion of the outer surface of the tubular body.

Some of the advantages of the hair roller of the present invention over the prior art are that tangling of hair wound around the hair roller is eliminated, the hair roller may be easily handled without contacting hot portions thereof, the hair roller includes a clip mounted on the body thereof to facilitate winding of hair therearound and tightly hold the hair ends against the roller to increase surface contact and to permit tighter winds to stress the hair, the hair roller can be assembled with a heating cartridge to provide an integral unit for heating and hair setting, hair can be removed from the hair roller without unwinding to cool the curl in a wound condition and insure a tighter set, and the smooth hair winding surface increases hair contact area in that hair cannot ride up on protrusions to be spaced from the surface of the roller.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair roller according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the hair roller of the present invention taken along line 22.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the hair roller of the present invention taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the clip of the hair roller of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the clip taken along line 5,5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the clip taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A hair roller 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and includes a tubular body 12 having a cylindrical hair winding mandrel 13 with a substantially smooth, non-porous, cylindrical outer surface 14 having a pattern of small depressions thereon to increase moisture retention. Tubular body 12 has an open end 16 with a ring of serrations l8 therearound to increase thermal insulation of the open end 1-6. Three spaced arcuate ribs 20 are formed on the inner surface of tubular body 12 adjacent open end 16 transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body and are adapted to be received in an annular recess in a heating cartridge 22 shown in phantom in FIG. 2. A plurality of longitudinal ribs 24 are spaced around the periphery of the inner surface of tubular body 12 to hold the heating cartridge 22 within the hollow portion of the tubular body.

Tubular body 12 has a closed end 26 with an end wall 28 having a conical configuration with the apex aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tubular body 12. The end wall 28 terminates peripherally at a skirt 32 which joins hair winding mandrel 13 to define a space 36 within the end wall 28. A collar 38 is disposed around the closed end 26 of tubular body 12 and is radially spaced therefrom by a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced spokes 40. Collar 38 has a notch 42 formed therein to define a bridge portion 44 of reduced width. Directly below bridge portion 44 the thickness of skirt 32 is reduced to define a groove 46 communicating with a slot 48 formed at the junction of skirt 32 with hair winding mandrel l3, and end wall 28 has a bevelled surface 49 aligned with groove 46.

An elongate clip 50, as best illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, has a head 51 received in notch 42 in the collar 38, and a channel 52 laterally extends between head 51 and an arm 54 extending longitudinally along the outer surface 14 of the tubular body 12 to contact a flat, axially extending portion 55 thereof. Channel 52 receives bridge portion 44 of the collar 38, and a rectangular groove 56 is formed in the bottom of clip 50 and extends from the end of the clip adjacent head 51 to a point where it terminates at an arcuate undersurface 58 of the arm 54, the junction point between groove 56 and undersurface 58 being defined by a pair of arcuate edges on eitherwside of the central axis of the clip 50. Arm 54 is gradually reduced in cross-section as it extends towards a tip 60.

A spring member 62 has a long leg 64 extending through the slot 48 into the hollow portion of tubular body 12 and a short leg 66 received in the groove 56 in clip 50 and the groove 46 in skirt 32. Within space 36 defined by end wall 28 are four equally spaced, axially extending stops 68 disposed along the periphery of the end wall, and a support block 70 for the spring member 62 extends from end wall 28 within space 36 and has a pair of parallel legs 70 and 72 extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, each of the legs 70 and 72 havingan off-set shoulder 74 spaced to define a recess receiving the long leg 64 of the spring member 62 with the side walls of legs 70 and 72 preferably spaced to prevent sliding of the spring member.

The tubular body 12 and collar 38 are desirably integrally molded from a thermoplas tic material, either filled or unfilled, the plastic being etched to make it polar and hydrophilic, as is known in the art. Clip 50 is molded separately; and, in order to assemble the clip with tubular body 12, spring member 62 is inserted in slot 48 such that long leg 64 rests on shoulders 74 recessed in support block 70. Short leg 66 will be received in groove 46 when the spring member is inserted in tubular body 12, and long leg 64 of the spring member 62 will extend away from support block 70 at this time, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2. However, when heating cartridge 22 is inserted through the open end leg 66 of spring member 62 received in groove 56in the bottom of head 51.

In operation, the hair roller 10 is mounted in a separate heating unit such that heating cartridge 22 is raised to a predetermined temperature and stores heat. To this end, heating cartridge 22 will normally contain a mass of heat retaining material in combination with a heating element such that electricity can be supplied thereto to heat the heating cartridge or the separate heating unit can include a heating element which is inserted in the heating cartridge to store heat therein. The type of heating cartridge utilized with hair roller 10 does not form part of thepresent invention and any type of heating cartridge can be used with hair roller 10.

Once hair roller 10 is heated, the hair roller is removed from the heating unit, and the ends of a tress of hair are clamped to the hair roller by depressing head 51 of clip 50 to pivot the clip at the closed end 26 of the tubular body against the force of spring member 62, placing the ends of the hair-on flat axial portion 55 of the outer surface 14 of the hair winding mandrel 13, and releasing head 51 to permit spring member 62 to move arm 54 against flat portion 55 to clamp the hair against thev hair winding mandrel. The hair is then wound onto the hair roller and secured thereto with an additional clip, not shown.

After the hair has been set by the heat from heating cartridge 22, the additional clip is removed; and, after slightly depressing head 51 to pivot clip 50 away from the hair winding mandrel, the wound set hair is re.- moved from the hair roller by'slidingthe hair axially over open end 16 of the tubular body 12. Thus, the set hair need not be unwound or straightened .to remove the hair from the hair roller thereby obtaining a tight curl.

Hair roller 10 can be easily handled when hot by grasping the hair roller at the ends since both closed end 26 and open end 16 are thermally insulated from the heating cartridge and are cool to the touch. That is, closed end 26 is thermally insulated from heating cartridge 22 by space 36, and collar 38 is cool due to its radial spacing from closed end 26 and the ventilation through the spaces between spokes 40. The annular serrated rim l8 around open end 26 is thermally insulated from heating cartridge 22 due to the cooling of the serrations and the extension of the open end 26 past the end of the heating cartridge.

Clip 50 is pivotally mounted at closed end 26 of the tubular body 12 by support means including skirt 32 adjacent groove 46, bridge portion 44 of collar 38 and spring member 62 which is tensioned by the clamping of long leg 64 in the tubular body to bias clip 50 against the flat portion 55. The top surface of arm 54 of clip 50 has the configuration'of a segment of a cylinder as does the arcuate undersurface 58 with the radius of curvature of the top surface being substantially larger than the radius of curvature of bottom surface 58 to obtain additional friction at the longitudinal edges on the clip where they engage flat portion 55 of the outer surface of the hair winding mandrel. The bevelled surface 49 at the edge of end wall 28 permits sufficient pivotal movement of the head 51 of clip 50 for clamping and releasing hair but limits such pivotal movement to prevent spring member 62 from being overstressed. Y

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, the subject matter described above and shown'in the accompanying drawings is intended to be illustrative and not limiting.

What is claimed is: 1. A heatable hair roller comprising a tubular body having a substantially smooth outer surface, a closed end including an end wall and stop means spaced therefrom including a support block having recessed shoulders, an open end and a heating cartridge inserted in said open end of said tubular body and having an end abutting said stop means to define a space between said end of said heating cartridge and said end wall whereby said space thermally insulates said closed end of said tubular body from said heating cartridge; a collar disposed around one end of said tubular body and extending radially therefrom and having a notch formed therein and a bridge portion aligned with said notch;

a plurality of spokes circumferentially spaced around said closed end of said tubular body and radially extending from said closed end of said tubular body to said collar to space said collar from said tubular body;

an elongate clip member extending longitudinally along said tubular body to contact a portion of said outer surface having a head, an arm extending along said outer surface of said tubular body and a reduced cross-section portion defining a channel joining said arm and said head portion, said head of said clip member being received in said notch in said collar and said bridge portion of said collar being received in said channel in said clip member; and

a support means for pivotally mounting said clip member on said tubular body at said collar and biasing said clip member against said portion of said outer surface of said tubular body including a spring member having a flat member bent to form a first leg defining a first portion engaging said clip member and a second leg defining a second portion being clamped between said support block and said end of said heating cartridge and supported by said recessed shoulders.

2. The hair roller as recited in claim 1 wherein said head of said clip member has a groove therein receiving said first leg of said spring member, said arm of said clip member has a top surface having an arcuate configuration and an undersurface having an arcuate configuration, said arcuate top surface being a segment of a cylinder having a first radius of curvature and said arcuate undersurface being a segment of a cylinder having a second radius of curvature smaller than said first radius, and said portion of said outer surface of said outer surface is an axial, flat depression.

3. The hair roller as recited in claim 2 wherein said end wall of said closed end of said tubular body has a conical configuration, said end wall terminating at a peripheralskirt having a groove therein alingned with said groove in said head of said clip member to receive said first leg of said spring member, and said end wall having a bevelled surface aligned with said groove in said skirt to permit pivoting of said clip member.

4. A hair roller comprising a tubular body having a closed end and an open end and a hair winding mandrel extending therebetween, said closed end is closed by an end wall having a groove therein communicating with a slot in said tubular body and said mandrel having a cylindrical, substantially smooth outer' surface with a longitudinally extending flat portion;

a collar disposed around said closed end of said tubular body and radially spaced therefrom by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes;

an elongate clip member pivotally mounted on said closed end of said tubular body and having a head engaging said collar and an arm extending longitu dinally along said tubular bodyin alignment with said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel; and

a spring member bent to define a first leg being aligned with said groove in said closed end of said tubular body and engaging said head of said clip member to bias said arm against said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel and a second leg extending through the slot in said tubular body and anchored in said tubular body.

5. A hair roller comprising a tubular body having a closed end and an open end and a hair winding mandrel extending therebetween, said mandrel having a cylindrical, substantially smooth outer surface with a longitudinally extending flat portion;

a collar disposed around said closed end of said tubular body and radially spaced therefrom by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes;

an elongate clip member pivotally mounted on said closed end of said tubular body and having a head having a groove in the bottom thereof and engaging said collar and an arm extending longitudinally along said tubular body in alignment with said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel and having an undersurface having an arcurate configuration in cross-section with a first radius of curvature and a top surface having an arcuate configuration in cross-section with a second radius of curvature greater than said first radius of curvature; and

a spring member bent to define a first leg received in the groove of said head and engaging said head of said clip member to bias said arm against said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel and a second leg anchored in said tubular body. 

1. A heatable hair roller comprising a tubular body having a substantially smooth outer surface, a closed end including an end wall and stop means spaced therefrom including a support block having recessed shoulders, an open end and a heating cartridge inserted in said open end of said tubular body and having an end abutting said stop means to define a space between said end of said heating cartridge and said end wall whereby said space thermally insulates said closed end of said tubular body from said heating cartridge; a collar disposed around one end of said tubular body and extending radially therefrom and having a notch formed therein and a bridge portion aligned with said notch; a plurality of spokes circumferentially spaced around said closed end of said tubular body and radially extending from said closed end of said tubular body to said collar to space said collar from said tubular body; an elongate clip member extending longitudinally along said tubular body to contact a portion of said outer surface having a head, an arm extending along said outer surface of said tubular body and a reduced cross-section portion defining a channel joining Said arm and said head portion, said head of said clip member being received in said notch in said collar and said bridge portion of said collar being received in said channel in said clip member; and a support means for pivotally mounting said clip member on said tubular body at said collar and biasing said clip member against said portion of said outer surface of said tubular body including a spring member having a flat member bent to form a first leg defining a first portion engaging said clip member and a second leg defining a second portion being clamped between said support block and said end of said heating cartridge and supported by said recessed shoulders.
 2. The hair roller as recited in claim 1 wherein said head of said clip member has a groove therein receiving said first leg of said spring member, said arm of said clip member has a top surface having an arcuate configuration and an undersurface having an arcuate configuration, said arcuate top surface being a segment of a cylinder having a first radius of curvature and said arcuate undersurface being a segment of a cylinder having a second radius of curvature smaller than said first radius, and said portion of said outer surface of said outer surface is an axial, flat depression.
 3. The hair roller as recited in claim 2 wherein said end wall of said closed end of said tubular body has a conical configuration, said end wall terminating at a peripheral skirt having a groove therein alingned with said groove in said head of said clip member to receive said first leg of said spring member, and said end wall having a bevelled surface aligned with said groove in said skirt to permit pivoting of said clip member.
 4. A hair roller comprising a tubular body having a closed end and an open end and a hair winding mandrel extending therebetween, said closed end is closed by an end wall having a groove therein communicating with a slot in said tubular body and said mandrel having a cylindrical, substantially smooth outer surface with a longitudinally extending flat portion; a collar disposed around said closed end of said tubular body and radially spaced therefrom by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes; an elongate clip member pivotally mounted on said closed end of said tubular body and having a head engaging said collar and an arm extending longitudinally along said tubular body in alignment with said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel; and a spring member bent to define a first leg being aligned with said groove in said closed end of said tubular body and engaging said head of said clip member to bias said arm against said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel and a second leg extending through the slot in said tubular body and anchored in said tubular body.
 5. A hair roller comprising a tubular body having a closed end and an open end and a hair winding mandrel extending therebetween, said mandrel having a cylindrical, substantially smooth outer surface with a longitudinally extending flat portion; a collar disposed around said closed end of said tubular body and radially spaced therefrom by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spokes; an elongate clip member pivotally mounted on said closed end of said tubular body and having a head having a groove in the bottom thereof and engaging said collar and an arm extending longitudinally along said tubular body in alignment with said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel and having an undersurface having an arcurate configuration in cross-section with a first radius of curvature and a top surface having an arcuate configuration in cross-section with a second radius of curvature greater than said first radius of curvature; and a spring member bent to define a first leg received in the groove of said head and engaging said head of said clip member to bias said arm against said flat portion of said outer surface of said mandrel and a second leg anchored in said tubular Body. 